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Friday, March 11, 2011
DID YOU KNOW? The Sonoma Plaza
Sonoma Plaza: Did You Know?
Sonoma’s Plaza, at the very heart of town, symbolizes the dynamic mix of old and new that makes the town special. It’s ancient, but it’s also where residents come to play. They enjoy the lively Tuesday night farmers market, watch the ducks cavort in the pond, meet friends over coffee, or just sit on a bench and watch the world go by.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently recognized the town’s commitment to preserving its history, naming Sonoma one of the nation’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2011.
To honor that designation, here are 15 things you might not know about Sonoma Plaza:
1. Sonoma’s Mission San Francisco de Solano was the last of California’s 21 missions, founded in 1824.
2. Gen. Mariano Vallejo established the pueblo at Sonoma, the northernmost base of the Mexican government, in 1835. The Plaza and many of the buildings he erected around it remain today.
3. In its earliest days, the Plaza was a treeless, unattractive cattle yard where animals were frequently slaughtered. Early pioneers wrote about the unpleasant stench that surrounded it.
4. The Blue Wing Adobe, built by Vallejo in 1840, was once the town’s finest hotel (also the finest gambling den and saloon). Over the years, its guests included future generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman, Capt. John C. Fremont and notorious bandit Joaquin Murietta.
5. The plaza’s beloved duck pond got its start in the 1840s, when deep holes were dug for soil used to make adobe bricks. “Low spots existed in the plaza for a long time after that,” says Bob Parmelee, author of “Pioneer Sonoma.”
6. The Bear Flag Revolt’s original flag was made by four men. One of them, William Todd, was nephew of future first lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
7. The Toscano Hotel, built in 1851, is the town’s oldest commercial wood-frame structure. It served as warehouse, general store and lending library, and today is a museum.
8. The Plaza had a railroad depot in the late 1800s that was moved to present-day Depot Park in 1890. Today it houses the Sonoma Valley Historical Society Museum.
9. The Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club campaigned to turn the Plaza into a community park in 1901. A $25 donation from Phoebe Hearst kicked off the fundraising; eventually the club raised enough to plant trees and hire a gardener. They also erected the large rock monument honoring Bear Flaggers.
10. The Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau on the Plaza’s east side is housed in a former Carnegie Library, one of 142 in California funded by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The Classic Revival building stands out in a town known for adobe, Mission and Victorian architecture.
11. Sonoma’s City Hall was deliberately designed to be identical on all four sides so that no Plaza merchant would feel slighted.
12. City Hall was supposed to be finished in 1906, but construction stalled for two years due to the San Francisco earthquake. Workers rushed there to earn the far higher wages involved in rebuilding an entire city.
13. City Hall was often seen in the popular 1980s TV show, Falcon Crest, as the county courthouse.
14. In 1911, a furious fire destroyed many ancient buildings on the Plaza’s eastern side. Since water supplies were too low to help, the fire was extinguished with large quantities of wine stored in vats in the Blue Wing Inn.
15. Air Force Gen. Hap Arnold, known as the father of the modern Air Force, retired to Sonoma in 1945. For years, his aerial artifacts and memorabilia were on view in City Hall’s basement. Now they are on display at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Marine asks Sacramento Mayor for California Flag
Mayor, Marine in Afghanistan discuss 'Patrol Base Sacramento'
City Beat: Mayor, Marine in Afghanistan discuss 'Patrol Base Sacramento'
By Ryan Lillisrlillis@sacbee.com
last updated: March 07, 2011 11:24:04 AM
A little piece of Sacramento is headed for the battle grounds of Afghanistan.
Mayor Kevin Johnson said he received a phone call on Friday from Staff Sgt. Anthony Silva III, a Marine fighting in Afghanistan. Silva had three requests of the mayor: a U.S. flag, a California flag and a sign that reads, "Sacramento City Limits," much like the signs on freeways.
Silva told the mayor his unit is building "Patrol Base Sacramento." The Marine couldn't share too much with Johnson, but told the mayor the city limits sign would stand at the entrance of the base.
In an email sent to supporters, Johnson writes the call was "amazing, because it gave perspective to the work we all do and problems we all have."
"Sgt. Silva didn't know about the problems we're dealing with in Sacramento - keeping the Kings, building an entertainment and sports complex, K Street and rail yard redevelopment, the future of Fire Recovery billing, etc."
Johnson is working on getting Silva the flags and the signs, and may enlist the help of other elected officials in the region.
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Copyright © 2011, The Modesto Bee, 1325 H St., Modesto, CA 95354
